Atomizer,particularly for lubricants

ABSTRACT

AN ATOMIZER, PARTICULARLY FOR LUBRICANTS, TO PRODUCE A FINE OIL SPRAY IN COMPRESSED-AIR LINES FOR THE LUBRICATION OF COMPRESSED AIR INSTALLATIONS. THE ATOMIZER INCLUDES AN ATOMIZER HEAD HAVING A PASSAGE FOR THE FLOW OF A GASEOUS MEDIUM THERETHROUGH AND A CONTAINER FOR THE MATERIAL TO BE ATOMIZED.

ATOMIZER, PARTICULARLY FOR LUBRICANTS Filed March 14, 1967 F/G.l FIEL@ V11 I-g FIC-i3 5 1?/9 1314 a 7 \&\\

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United States Patent O Int. c1. Flan 7/34 U.S. Cl. 184-55A 1 Claim ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An atomizer, particularly for lubricants, to produce a line oil spray in compressed-air lines for the lubrication of compressed-air installations. The atomizer includes an atomizer head having a passage for the flow of a gaseous medium therethrough and a container for the material to be atomized.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in atomizers, particularly for lubricants, serving mainly to produce a iine oil spray in compressed-air lines for the lubrication of compressed-air installations, the cornpressed air owing through a passage in the atomizer head in which it is supplied with lubricant. The material to be atomized is delivered to the passage from a container by means of a differential head produced by a throttled cross-section of the passage in the area of the inlet for the material to be atomized. The pressure prevailing in front of the throttled cross-sectional area is transmitted to the container via a duct originating in the passage and irnpinges upon the material to be atomized. In this way a differential head is produced between the container and the inlet for the material to be atomized located in or near at the throttled cross-sectional area.

In conventional types of atomizers featuring a constant cross-section of the throttled area of the passage, the differential head responsible for the delivery of the material to be atomized augments approximately at a squarelaw rate as the throughput increases. Consequently, a certain mixture-ratio between the material to be atomized and the medium flowing through the passage is obtainable with a certain constant throughput only. In order to achieve a possibly constant mixture-ratio even with a variable throughput, conventional appliances of this type comprise, incorporated in the passage, a spring-loaded relief valve, a valve flap or a ball-shaped folding sleeve made of some elastic material. However, these conventional appliances are relatively complicated, particularly in view of the complex attachment of the valve members in the passage. Another drawback resides in the fact that with some of these appliances frictional forces have to be overcome during the motions of the valve members and are liable to have an adverse etect upon the mixtureratio.

It is the object of the invention to provide a simplified atomizer of the design hereabove described, wherein no frictional forces having to be overcome for the alteration of the cross-sectional area of the passage, thereby ensuring a particularly accurate maintenance of a constant mixture-ratio between the medium flowing through the atomizer and the material to be atomized supplied thereto even with a heavily iluctuating throughput.

The invention consists in an atomizer, particularly for lubricants, comprising an atomizer head having a passage for the ow of a gaseous medium therethrough, and a container for the material to be atomized, the latter being admixed to the medium owing through said passage, the cross-sectional area of the passage fbeing automatically ice alterable as a function of the amount of medium flowing therethrough by means of a spring tongue installed in the passage, the said spring tongue being held in position at one extremity and protruding with its free extremity into the passage. Unimpeded by frictional forces, the spring tongue clears an appropriate cross-sectional area of the passage depending on the amount of inow, so that resistance to tlow through the atomizer is comparatively weak and a practically linear progress of the differential head responsible for the delivery of the material to be atomized is ensured. Another advantage resides in the particularly plain and inexpensive design of the appliance, since except for the spring tongue no fixtures have to be provided inside the passage.

The spring tongue may preferably be inclined in relation to the axis of the passage, its free extremity terminating in the area of the inlet provided in the passage for the material to be atomized, whereas the other extremity is attached to the wall of the passage opposite to and upstream of the inlet as viewed in the direction of flow. Consequently, the spring tongue may be of comparatively great length and correspondingly flexible. It was found to be advisable to bend the spring tongue so as to become approximately part cylindrical and to install it in the passage with its hollow side facing the inilow side of the passage. However, the spring tongue can be so designed as to protrude in its position of rest substantially in vertical relation to the axis of the passage into the same in such a manner as to be tiltable in opposite directions from its position of rest. The advantage of this arrangement resides in the possibility of the current flowing through the passage in both directions.

Furthermore, the spring tongue may be designed as a two-pronged clip pivoted in the area of its vertex, one of the prongs protruding into the passage and the other adjoining the wall of the passage, producing a convenient stress for the spring tongue.

In order to improve the flow condition in the proximity of the inlet for the material to be atomized, the free extremity of the spring tongue can be provided with a lug bent in the direction of the current owing through the passage. Moreover, in order to facilitate production, it may be advisable to provide both the passage and the spring tongue of rectangular or square design. Finally, according to the invention the spring tongue may be attached by means of a pin extending through the passage in the vicinity of the bottom or by means of a screw obliquely inserted in the wall of the passage.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of several embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a first embodiment of the atomizer according to the invention taken along line I-I of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the atomizer head of a modied embodiment of the invention.

The embodiments illustrated show an atomizer for lubricants for the lubrication of compressed-air installations. The lubricant to be atomized is contained in a container 1 topped by an atomizer head 2 carrying a drip cowl 3 preferably miade of a transparent material. Inside the atomizer head 2 a passage 4 for the air to 'be supplied to the compressed-air installations is provided, the said pas- The lubricant in the container 1 is delivered through a Standpipe 9, a passage provided in the atomizer head 2, and passages 11 in the drip cowl 3` into the cavity 12 of same, dipping down into :a funnel-shaped recess 13 of the atomizer head 2, and nally enters the passage 4 at the inlet 14. The amount of lubricant to be supplied can be controlled yby means of a throttle 1S. Lubricant is delivered as `a function of the differential head between the pressure prevailing above the lubricant in the container 1 and the pressure at the inlet 14 in the passage 4. This differential head is produced by means of a spring tongue 16 installed in the passage 4 for the purpose of narrowing its crosssection.

According to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. l, the spring tongue 16 is attached to the bottom of the passage 4 by means of a screw 17 and protrudes in an oblique upward direction into the passage 4, its free extremity terminating in the proximity of the inlet 14. The extremity of the spring tongue 16 is bent so as to form a lug 18, The passage 4 has a square cross-section and the spring tongue 16 is of a rectangular shape. According to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 3 the spring tongue 16 is designed as a clip comprising two prongs 19 and 20, prong 19 protruding obliquely into the passage 4 and prong 20 adjoining the wall of the passage. The clip-shaped spring tongue 16 is pivoted in the area of the vertex 'by means of a pin 21 extending obliquely through the passage 4.

The spring tongue 16 installed in the passage 4 serves to narrow the cross-section of the passage. If no air flows through the passages 4, the same is practically closed completely lby the spring tongue 16. However, as soon as air flows in the direction indicated by the arrows from left to right through the passage 4, the spring tongue 16 is bent away from the inlet 14 in a downward direction and a cross-sectional area corresponding to the throughput is cleared. As the throughput diminishes, the spring tongue 16 springs back in the direction of the inlet 14 and reduces the cross-sectional area of the passage 4, whereas when the throughput auguments, the said spring tongue is bent further downwards and clears a larger cross-sectional area. The smallest cross-sectional area of the passage 4 will always be located in the proximity of the inlet 14, so that the lowest pressure will prevail in that area, whereas in front of the spring tongue 16 as viewed in the direction of flow, a higher pressure is present which impinges through the duct 5 upon the lubricant level in the container 1.

As a result of the differential head between the container 1 and the inlet 14, the lubricant is delivered from the container 1 through the standpipe 9, the passages 10 `and 11 and the cavity 12 into the funnel shape-d recess 13 and from there at the inlet 14 into the passage 4, where it is admixed as a fine spray to the air passing through the atomizer head 2, Since as a result of throughput fluctuations the cross-sectional area of the passage 4 and consequently, the pressure prevailing in the proximity of the inlet 14 is also altered, whereas the pressure impinging upon the lubricant level in the container 1 through the duct S remains essentially constant, the dilerential head responsible for the delivery of lubricant to the passage 4 is `also altered, so that a constant mixture ratio between the air flowing through the passage 4 and the amount of lubricant supplied is practically maintained over the entire operational area of the atomizer. Adaptation to given operational conditions is possible in a simple manner by the appropriate selection of spring characteristics and of the shape of the spring tongue 16.

I claim:

1. An atomizer for mixing a liquid lubricant with an air stream moving through said atomizer, comprising an atomizer head having a rst passage means therein for conveying said air stream through said head, said rst passage means having :a top wall surface and a bottom wall surface, a flexible spring tongue positioned within said rst passage means and being fixed at one end to the bottom wall surface of said rst passage means, said ilexible spring tongue extending obliquelyy away from the inlet end of said rst passage means and terminating in a free end spaced ydownstream from the xed end, said free end being closely adjacent the top wall surface of said rst passage means, a container for the lubricant to be atomized being carried by and depending from said head, second passage means located upstream of the exible spring tongue in said first passage means and electing communication between said rst passage means and said container whereby the lubricant held in said container is subjected to the pressure of the incoming air, third passage means opening through the top wall surface of said rst passage means directly above the free end of said llexible spring tongue, and means providing communication between said third passage means and the lubricant contained in said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,604,189 7/1952 OFarrell 184-55A 2,969,853 1/1961 Wyman 184-55A 3,191,618 6/1965 McKim 137--525-3 3,244,257 4/1966 German et al 184-55A FOREIGN PATENTS 1,119,666 4/1956 France 137--525.5

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner E. I. EARLS, Assistant Examiner Us. C1. X.R.

137-5253; zei-78A 

